What happened to the value of my trade?

[MightyMax]

OK... My company has a deal with Daimler-Chrysler through the Affiliate Rewards Program. What that means is... I get the price of the car for 1% below invoice price. Sweet deal right? Well, so I thought.


The dealer that I am working with stated that my trade-in value for my truck has to come down, $2,100 wourth to make the difference. I asked... What does the value of my trade-in have to do with the program? They stated that they only get the 1% back form D-C, aka about 340 bucks worth. That didn't sit well with me, I called D-C's help line for the program and confused the poor woman, I wanted to know what the dealership gets reimbersed for (1% or the difference they would have made) for the the program, there is a official control number and have to prove I work where I do. (aka more paper work) For all that work and only saving 340 bucks? She finally stated that I should do business with another dealership. I think to get me off the phone.

Ok, so I called another dealership. I asked if they knew about the program and if it would effect the price of my trade. He stated NO. lol OK going to stop by there tonight and see if that is true or not.

[E55 KEV]

Curious, What is the name of you program? Thanks.

[MightyMax]

Official Name.....

Daimler Chrysler
Affiliate Rewards
D.C.C


The dealerships seem to know it as "Friends & Family Program"

[E55 KEV]

I have also heard reports of these programs and discounts:

Chrysler Advantage - 4.6% under invoice (estimated)
Chrysler Friends & Family - 1% under invoice

[MKeep]

What Max left out ("Max's Keeper" here...) is that we also purchased a brandy new van from the same dealer March 1st this year. They did the same thing with the tradein value... since my old van was worth so little, it didn't make much difference to me. I really didn't like that he played it off as 'see? I got you more for your trade' when the numbers had dropped.... It's our Employer that got us the discount buddy. Ack. Glad I'm in my new car and Max has to deal with this one LOL

[GMLind]

I worked it the opposite for my Trade. I basically told them I would pay MSRP for the 300C but they are going to have to make it up on my trade. One Chrysler dealer would not offer more than $16.5K for my 02 Lincoln LS V8 (in excellent cond.) and still wanted MSRP...so I walked. Went to the next Dealer, told them I wanted a 300C at MSRP, but needed $20K for trade. (I'll pay full price from you if you pay full price from me). At the end of negotiation we agreed on $19K for the trade, and MSRP for the 300C. Or, $16.5K for Trade and Invoice for the 300C. It all comes out the same in the end.

The original dealer called me up the next day to see if I was still interested. I told them, too late, I already sealed a deal with one of their fellow chrysler dealerships. They wanted to know why? I told him, I was completely open about going with whoever gave me the most for my trade, assuming MSRP for the 300C. He wanted to know if he could make another offer. I said, "Maybe some other time". Sorry dude, your a day late and a doller short, as they say. Really irritates me the way they jerk you around, trying to screw you, then expect you to give them a shot at the business after someone else has does all the work.

[wild bill]

mike i know the feeling went to two dealers about 15 miles apart i am tradeing a 2000300m first dealer offer $13,ooo next dealer $14,500. so i ordered my 300c from dealer #2

[ekool]

The first thing I would do is negotiate the price of a car before even mentioning anything about a trade in. The trade in lets the dealer confuse you and work his way with pricing to gouge you.

Once you've settled on a price for the vehicle, "out the door" -- then mention the trade, and dont budge on the price you've previously discussed. This is the only way you can truly know how much they REALLY are giving you on your vehicle on trade in.

If its not enough, walk out the door... you have two possibilities.

Sell it private party and buy the vehicle at the price you agreed on.

The dealer will call you after seeing that they will lose a sale and likely improve the offer.

[dealerman]

I dont want to be the one to bust your bubble on your trade value, but before you were getting your "Discount," your trade value that you were seeing was not what you were actually getting. it is called an "overallowance" and is basically putting some of the profit on the car onto your trade allowance to make it look better for people concerned with trade value. Any good negotiator can buy a car for invoice, with or without a trade. Just concentrate on the difference to see where your best deal is.

[MightyMax]

No bubble busted here... Just went out and found a dealer who really treated the trade and the sale of the new car as isolated deals. As it should be. And maybe by coincidence... or not, got a much better deal.